Everything You Need to Know About the LG G8 « Android :: Gadget Hacks

2018 was another rough year for LG. The mobile division lost over $700 million last year despite releasing four flagship-caliber phones. LG, however, remains confident and believes improvement will be seen in 2019, starting with the LG G8. However, based on early rumors, they might see more of the same.

In a world where phone leaks usually almost everything months before devices are announced, the LG G8 is an anomaly. Despite a potential announcement date of February 24, there haven’t been many credible leaks involving the flagship. Maybe LG is taking extra precautions, or perhaps user interest is low, but compared to the Samsung Galaxy S10, we know just about nothing about this device. However, the little we do know isn’t promising, showing LG is essentially keeping last year’s body and filling it with this year’s specs.

Overview

Display

Rumors indicate the LG G8 will have a 6.1-inch display. It will once again house a large display notch, but this time, the notch will house more than just the camera and earpiece. It will have an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. There is a rumor that it will use a sound-emitting OLED in lieu of a speaker, but we are skeptical, as AndroidHeadlines has reported that LG is reserving OLED for the V series and using LCD for the G series.

• Screen Size: 6.1 inch
• Panel Type: LCD
• Resolution: unknown
• Pixel Density: unknown
• Display Notch: yes
• Screen-to-Body Ratio: unknown

Rear Cameras

Front Cameras

The front cameras are one of the new additions to the G series. The LG G8 will have a regular front-facing camera and a time-of-flight sensor. The latter captures infrared light that reflects off you. It isn’t affected by external light either.

Because of this addition, many believe LG will include 3D face recognition — one which is secure, unlike the G7’s Face Unlock. However, this same sensor has also been used to improve augmented reality, so we’ll just have to wait for more information.

• Resolution: 8 MP + ToF sensor
• Aperture: unknown
• Pixel Size: unknown
• Sensor Size: unknown
• Camera Model: unknown
• LED Flash: no

SoC

RAM & Storage

Audio

Based on CAD renders leaked by XDA, it appears that the LG G8 will keep its headphone jack. This means that in 2019, LG and Samsung will be the only remaining major OEMs to sell flagships in the US which include this port.

Typically, LG pairs this with a Quad DAC, which we fully expect to be carried over in the LG G8. This means that, most likely, the LG G8 and V50 will be the best phones for audiophiles. A single bottom-firing speaker is visible on the CAD render, making it likely that LG will bring the Boombox Speaker technology from the G7 ThinQ and not upgrade it to the stereo variant found on the LG V40.

• Stereo Speakers: yes, Boombox speakers
• 3.5 mm Headphone Jack: yes

Battery

Build Material

Software

As with all Android phones released in early 2019, the LG G8 should come preinstalled with Android 9.0 Pie. It also should include the latest version of the LG UX skin. With almost a year under the LG Software Upgrade Center, we have to believe LG will finally improve its track record on updates starting with the G8. We are crossing our fingers this is the first LG device to receive software updates (for Android 10) within the year.

According to LG, they are saying “goodbye to touches.” A teaser video are in Jan 2019 showing off what appears to be new air gesture controls that don’t require you to touch the screen.

Price

According to Redditor livedadevil, the G8 will be priced at CAD 1199.99. When converted to US dollars, we are talking about a price tag around $899. This would be a $150 increase for a phone, which on paper, looks to be a small upgrade from its predecessor. Hopefully, this isn’t true.

Availability